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HCBA continues to abstain from court work

In occupied Kashmir, the High Court Bar Association has decided to continue to abstain from court work, against the unnecessary questioning of its President Mian Abdul Qayoom by the National Investigation Agency at its headquarters in New Delhi.
The decision was unanimously taken at the general body meeting of the Bar Association, held in Srinagar, today.
The members expressed their satisfaction over the support and the resentment shown by all the District and Mufassil Bar Associations of the valley. In the meeting, the members also decided to meet again tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the High Court Bar Association sent a letter to the Chief Justice of Indian Supreme Court, today, asking him to play his role in preventing NIA from indulging in malicious campaign in the occupied territory.
Following is the complete text of the HCBA letter: 1. It is shocking, sad but important to bring to your kind notice reason of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association having decided to go on strike.
2. The President of the Bar Association Mr. Mian Abdul Qayoom has been summoned by National Investigating Agency (NIA) in connection with RC No: 10/2017/NIA/DLI. Apparently, the President of the Bar Association has been summoned as a witness but we have reason to believe that there is more than what meets the eye. We say so because notice has been issued under Section 160 Cr.P.C., Proviso whereof requires The NIA/investigating agency to record the statement of a witness at his place of residence if he/she is less than 15 or more than 65 Years of age. Mr. Mian Abdul Qayoom admittedly is more than 65 Years of age, he could have very easily taken the benefit of the said proviso. Instead he has volunteered himself to appear before NIA along with 8 members of the J&K High Court Bar Association at New Delhi, as he has nothing to hide.
3. That the aforesaid FIR is an open-ended FIR. It is based on suo-moto action. The NIA has arrested several persons and has also summoned scores of people in connection with the investigation.
4. Mian Abdul Qayoom is a known figure in the State of Jammu and Kashmir and has been in practice for last more than four decades. Having come from a humble background he has gradually arisen by dint of his hard work in the profession. He continues to be in active practice. Law Journals published from Srinagar demonstrate the kind of cases he has pleaded before the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir. It is his belief, based on constitutional history of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, that Kashmir dispute is in urgent need of a solution. The need has intensified by the events which have occurred in the State for last several decades in particular from 1990. Thousands of people have disappeared, eliminated, jailed, scores of women have been raped, private properties worth crores destroyed. Civil unrest in the State has brought to standstill life of the people. Day in and day out gruesome events are reported in the Newspapers, scores of statements are published and there is a strong urge of the common people to ask for peace, dialogue and the resolution of the dispute in accordance with the aspirations of the people.
5. Mian Abdul Qayoom represents the voice of the people and has been fairly active in pleading their cases in Conferences, Seminars, courts etc. More recent are the cases pending before Supreme Court of India like ban on use of pellet guns. The cases of detenues who have been jailed in contravention of law for last several years are also being argued by him before the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir.—KMS